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A Prairie Home Companion: The 4th Annual Farewell Performance

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If you were a fan of A Prairie Home Companion back in the 1980s, you will likely enjoy this CD. As the title implies, it's a recording of the show's 4th Annual Farewell Performance, which was broadcast in 1990 from Iowa City, Iowa. This was the brief period when Garrison Keillor had ended the show and was doing his American Radio Company of the Air show in New York.

The CD features former show regulars Kate MacKenzie, Greg Brown (who is from Iowa and sings his lovely "Iowa Waltz"), and Tom Keith, plus special guests Peter Ostroushko, Dave Moore, and the amazing Miss Jean Redpath.

The songs include old favorites like "Hello Love" and the Powdermilk Biscuit song, plus the wonderfully eclectic mix of music for which the show was known (e.g., an old hymn, some bluegrass, some country, a Scottish love song, a cowboy lullaby, a little gospel, and even a Ukranian folk song). My favorite pieces from the show are Jean Redpath's "Leaving the Land," Greg Brown's "Iowa Waltz," and Dave Moore's haunting version of "God Moves on the Water."

There is also plenty of delightful comedy on the recording, including commercials for Bob's Bank and Bertha's Kitty Boutique and episodes of Reach for Tomorrow and Buster the Show Dog. And, of course, there's the News from Lake Wobegon (where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average).

This is a wonderful recording of the show as you might remember it from the 1980s.